The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
There is an interest by the U.S. military that airborne cargo carrying mobile platforms (e.g., cargo aircraft and/or rotorcraft) be capable of delivering cargo to isolated, remote sites where traditional cargo loading/offloading equipment, such as a K-loader, are not available for use. Furthermore, there is an interest in being able to load and unload container roll in, roll out platforms (CROPs) and conventional 1077 flatracks from fixed wing transport aircraft, and even from transport rotorcraft, without the need to outfit the cargo area of the aircraft or rotorcraft with a crane. A CROP is one important and popular logistics platform used by the U.S. military for supporting cargo (i.e., assets) that is to be deployed at remote sites. A 1077 flatrack is another type of logistics platform that is sometimes employed by the U.S. military for material transport operations. At the present time, these logistics platforms are typically loaded and off-loaded with the assistance of a crane. As will be appreciated, eliminating the need to outfit the aircraft or rotorcraft cargo area with a crane to assist in loading and offloading CROPs and 1077 flatracks would save significantly on weight, because a suitable crane used for this purpose typically weighs on the order of 5000 lbs. (2272 kg).
It is further desired by the U.S. military that Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTTs) and LHS (Load Handling System) equipped vehicles and trailers be used for loading and off-loading CROPs and 1077 flatracks. HEMTTs and LHS equipped vehicles are lighter and generally much more easily transported to remote sites than K-loaders.
Present day material handling equipment needed to support loading of CROPs and flatracks is extremely difficult (and often impossible) to deliver to, or operate at, small sites and landing zones used by direct support transport aircraft. Current processes require a large amount of material handling equipment and personnel at both the on load site as well as the offload site. Cargo being supported on a CROP cannot be delivered to sites that cannot be supported with external material handling equipment. Presently, the equipment needed to support loading/off-loading operations of a fully loaded CROP consists of a forklift, a K-loader, and a large crane. This equipment may weigh in excess of 97,000 lbs (44,090 kg) and must be delivered by aircraft, for example the C-17 cargo aircraft manufactured by The Boeing Company, to the loading or offloading site in advance of the date that the loading/off-loading operation will be performed. This makes far forward delivery of fully loaded CROPs to helicopter landing sites impossible. Additionally, if platforms are required to be placed on triple married pallets for air shipment, the increased overall length of the loads reduces the capability of aircraft by limiting the number of CROPs that can be transported on a single aircraft.
Thus, since a cargo aircraft or rotorcraft may be required to be loaded and/or offloaded at landing sites without the availability of standard material handling equipment, a system is needed to permit handling and transporting CROPs and/or 1077 flatracks without the aid of a traditional K-loader and other related cargo handling equipment. Thus, a requirement exists that any type of transport mobile platform (e.g., aircraft or rotorcraft) delivering cargo to forward deployment locations must have the capability to be unloaded without the use of a K-loader.